SOuthern aFrica research cApacity netwoRk (SOFAR) Postdoc fellowship
Ngo & Social Services Jobs
- BRTI - Biomedical Research an…
- Expires 23 Oct 2026
- Harare
- Full Time
Job Description
SOuthern aFrica research cApacity netwoRk (SOFAR)
Postdoc fellows Application Guidance
The SOFAR Programme
The SOuthern aFrica research cApacity netwoRk (SOFAR) is a research capacity building programme at The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU Zim) in the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) in Zimbabwe, Zambart in Zambia, and Instituto Nacional de Saúde in Mozambique. This EDCTP-funded programme will provide postdoctoral training in global health to a total of 15 MSc, PhD and postdoc fellows across the three countries, including five in Zimbabwe. The programme is a partnership with two higher education institutions in Europe (Ludwig-Maximillians Universität Munich (LMU) and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The mix of partners will provide a vibrant and thriving research environment within which to embed MSc, PhD and postdoctoral fellows.
We are now recruiting a postdoctoral fellow in Zimbabwe. The postdoc fellow will be employed by THRU Zim for 24 months. The aim of this postdoc is to support an excellent postdoctoral researcher to advance their career, publish papers, possibly conduct a small research project, apply for fellowships/ grants to move towards research independence, and contribute to building a positive and inclusive research culture within THRU Zim.
Duties and Responsibilities
Guidance for completion of the written application
1. SOFAR Fellows Application Form
SECTION ONE: EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Personal Details: Please provide your full name and title, gender, nationality, and email address
University degrees / diplomas / professional qualifications: Please ensure you provide the Level (e.g. II.2, II.1, First class, Merit/Distinction) or equivalent for all degrees, together with institution and year of award, and indicate if study was undertaken as full or part time.
Prizes: Only list those awarded for academic achievement at University level and above. This section should include any recognition for clinical leadership, management, innovation or research.
Employment since primary qualification: Please provide these in reverse chronological order.
Mitigating circumstance: Mention mitigating circumstances that may have affected career progression such as career breaks, secondments, volunteering, part-time work and other relevant experience (including in-time spent in different sectors). State ‘Not applicable’ if none.
SECTION TWO: CONTRIBUTIONS TO DATE
Contributions to date: Explain how you contributed to the generation of research ideas, implementation of research, and generation of knowledge over your career to date. Detail any key research outputs and impact. Explain how you have contributed to the wider research community. These could include examples of public engagement, policy and practice impact, and knowledge exchange. It can also include teaching, supervision and mentorship of students and colleagues. Mention any support you have provided that has advanced junior or senior colleagues.
Publications: Please enter a complete list of your research publications to-date (full citations including title and all authors). These should be separated into:
• Original peer reviewed papers
• Pre-Prints
• Books or book chapters
• Editorials, letters or case reports
• Conference presentations (Oral or poster)
• Other research outputs, such as
o Participation in Patient and Public involvement and engagement activities (PPI)
o Influences on policy, practice, education or training
o Improvements to health or quality of life of patients and the public
o Development and sharing of new datasets, software, research reagents, tools, methods, products or patents
For each publication, please outline your contribution to the publication, and why the publication is important in terms of addition to knowledge.
Grants awarded: Please list all research funding that you have been awarded. Include funder, grant amount, start and end dates, your role (e.g. PI or co-PI), FTE covered by grant, and details of your role and contributions to the grant.
SECTION THREE: PLANS FOR TWO-YEAR POSTDOC
Proposed postdoc start date: Indicate the date that you would start the two-year postdoc fellowship
Summary of postdoc plan: This should be a summary of your plans for the two-year postdoc. It should capture what you plan to do over the two-year postdoc, and where it will lead you. This may include paper writing, a small research project, and funding applications to move towards independence. These plans should be developed in collaboration with your mentors, should build on your existing research, and should position you well for getting independent research funding. Do think carefully about what activities you think will really advance your career, position you well to successfully apply for research funding, position you as a research leader and build a supportive and inclusive research environment at THRU Zim. (Max 200 words)
Summary of 5-10 postdoc year plan: This should be a summary of your plans for the 5–10 years following the two-year postdoc. It should capture your vision for becoming an independent research leader, including the research programme you aim to lead, planned publications, and major funding or fellowship applications. This may include team leadership, mentorship, capacity strengthening, and policy or practice impact. These plans should build on the postdoc, be developed in collaboration with your mentors, and position you well for securing independent research funding. Do think carefully about what activities will advance your career, establish you as a research leader, and help build a supportive and inclusive research environment at THRU Zim. (Max 200 words)
Mentors and collaborators: Your two mentors should be committed to supporting your research plans and career development. You can list up to six collaborators who will support a particular aspect of your research and/ or training. You should outline each of their roles in supporting your research and training. (Max 50 words per mentor/ collaborator).
Research plan: Write a proposal for the research that you plan to undertake during the two-year postdoc. This may include analysis of existing data, writing up manuscripts, and a small/ pilot research project that may set you up for your grant/ fellowship applications. (Max 500 words)
Training plan: Outline training that you will do during the two-year postdoc. This may include training courses (try to be specific i.e. which course, which institution runs it, is it online or in person, what skills do you hope to gain), strategic placements, mentorship, and networking. Outline your training needs and how you will fill these. (Max 300 words)
Outputs plan: Outline what the key outputs will be of this two-year postdoc. This could be published papers, conference presentations, public engagement, and grant/ fellowship applications submitted. Note, planned grant/ fellowship applications can be mentioned here and covered in more detail in the below section. (Max 300 words)
Grant/ fellowship application: Outline what grant/ fellowships you will apply for during the two-year postdoc. Outline the funder, funding scheme (e.g. fellowship/ grant), frequency of rounds per year, date when you plan to submit an application, when you would hear the outcome, maximum budget allowed, and proportion of your salary that would be covered. This can be presented as a table. You need to demonstrate you are eligible for the grant and how the SOFAR fellowship plan will position you for the grant.
Outline the proposal that you plan to submit for a grant/ fellowship. (Max 500 words)
Contribution to research culture: Detail how you will contribute to a positive and inclusive research culture within THRU Zim. (Max 300 words)
Budget: The postdoc fellowships will support a postdoc salary for 24 months plus 50,000 Euros of research costs, 6,000 Euros of conference/ placement travel, and 4,000 Euros of training costs. Please detail your budget for how you will spend this budget. Please write a budget justification for any costs which may require this.
2. Letter of Motivation (maximum 1 page)
Use this to tell us why you are excited about this postdoc fellowship, why you think you are at the right stage in your career for this opportunity, and what it will contribute to your career, and what you will contribute to THRU Zim through it. This should be written on a letterhead, in font no smaller than size 11.
3. Letters of support from each of your two mentors
Ask the two mentors you are asking to support your application to each write a 1-2 page letter of support. This should be no longer than 1-2 A4 pages, in 11 font typeface. The letter should outline how the mentor knows you and whether or not they have worked with you before, how they plan to support you in your two-year postdoc, your suitability for the SOFAR postdoc fellowship and any relevant skills that make you a good fit for this programme. Please ensure you give your mentors enough time to write this letter, to respect their time and other commitments. This should be prioritized as a piece of the application that you do first and should not be done at the last minute.
Contact
For enquiries regarding any aspect of your application, please contact: rchingono66@gmail.com
Qualifications and Experience
Eligibility
Applicants must be African nationals, eligible to work in Zimbabwe, and have received a PhD or submitted their thesis by the time of application. We expect that successful applicants will have a track-record of academic excellence, with a strong upward career trajectory, and clear potential to become research leaders.
Support
Each Postdoc will be supported by two mentors, who will provide research and career support, which they will detail in their letter of support. Postdoc fellows can also have up to six listed collaborators who may support different aspects of their research and/ or training.
Postdoc fellows are provided a postdoc salary for 24 months, a research budget of 50,000 Euros, a conference/ placement budget of 6,000 Euros, and a training budget of 4,000 Euros. Fellows will outline in the application form how they plan to use this budget, including a research plan, a draft training plan, and a plan for grant/ fellowship applications. Postdoc fellows will also attend monthly training sessions in essential skills in the Digital Global Health Academy. Postdoc fellows are expected to contribute to internal citizenship at THRU-Zim as well as leadership and supervision of MSc and PhD students. The aim is to equip postdocs to become future academic leaders, supportive mentors, with research impact.
How to Apply
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How to apply
Applicants must submit all of the following documents by email: sofarprogramme@gmail.com
1. Completed Application Form
2. Letter of motivation (maximum 1 page)
3. Two supporting letters from two mentors
The application deadline is 23rd October 2026 at 5pm CAT.
Applications must be written in English. If English is not your first language, please state this in your letter of motivation. Further details of the requirements for each document are given below.
Assessment and Selection Process
The application is a multi-stage process.
Written application. The initial written application form assesses 1) your career history to date; 2) your achievements in research to date; and 3) your plan for the two-year post doc, including your mentors and collaborators, your research plan, your training plan, outputs plan, plans for grant/ fellowship applications after two years, contribution to research culture, and budget. Your letter of motivation will outline why you want to do this postdoc and what it will lead you to. The letters of support from your mentors will outline the support that they will give you during the two-year postdoc.
Shortlisting. We will use the written application form, full proposal, letter of motivation, and letters of support to shortlist applicants who can demonstrate that they have outstanding academic potential, and are scientifically curious, highly motivated, hard-working, professional, and excellent team players.
Interviews. Interviews will be conducted on-line or in person. We will send further details to the candidates shortlisted for interview. Interviews will include a short presentation of your proposal for your two-year postdoc plans. Interviews will be conducted by a diverse panel from THRU Zim LSHTM, and SOFAR collaborators.
After interview. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the interview. The start date of the postdoc is flexible and can depend on candidate’s existing grant funding.
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM
